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This case study examines the role of electronic waste (e-waste) repair and redistribution in South Africa, focusing on The Appliance Bank as a model for integrating circular economy principles with social upliftment. It highlights how diverting e-waste from landfills through refurbishment can create jobs for unemployed men and provide affordable technology to low-income communities.

The 'ROADMAP TO 2025' is a strategic document outlining the goals and activities of the South African Plastics Pact, a collaborative initiative launched in January 2020. The roadmap aims to transition South Africa from a linear 'take-make-waste' plastics economy to a circular system by 2025, focusing on eliminating problematic plastics, improving recyclability, increasing recycling rates, and boosting recycled content in packaging.

This report details a workshop held on March 5, 2019, at the Century City Conference Centre, organized by GreenCape, Inspired Evolution, and SAPVIA. The event brought together 39 delegates from industry, government, and academia to address the emerging challenge of end-of-life (EOL) solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on legislative barriers, technical recycling solutions, and logistical strategies to prevent landfilling.

This briefing by GreenCape examines the regulatory landscape and future waste projections for large-scale solar PV modules in South Africa. It highlights the legal obligations of producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and the necessity of landfill alternatives due to a ban on e-waste. The document forecasts a significant increase in decommissioned modules starting in 2033, presenting a long-term opportunity for the development of a circular economy through reuse, refurbishment, and material recovery.

This industry brief by GreenCape examines the potential for textile recycling and fibre recovery in Cape Town, South Africa. It argues that transitioning from a linear to a circular textile economy can futureproof the local clothing, textile, footwear, and leather (CTFL) sector against global supply chain volatility and environmental pressures. The document identifies two primary opportunities: establishing a commercial open-loop downcycling hub and developing Africa's first commercial-scale closed-loop fibre-to-fibre recycling facility.

This case study describes an industrial symbiosis project facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) between Pallet Cycle, a recycled timber manufacturer, and Cabrico, a clay brick manufacturer. The partnership diverted wood waste from landfills to be used as a sustainable fuel and raw material in brick production.

This case study examines how the City of Cape Town, in partnership with GreenCape’s Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), uses industrial symbiosis to improve wood recycling and build economic resilience. The initiative focuses on diverting wood waste from landfills and reducing reliance on virgin materials and imported coal by integrating waste streams back into the manufacturing economy.

This briefing discusses the intersection of circular economy solutions and international trade policy as a means to achieve decarbonization. It argues that transitioning from primary raw materials to secondary materials, extending product lifespans, and reforming trade barriers are essential for meeting net-zero goals, as the extraction and processing of material resources account for half of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This policy analysis examines the development of a legally binding international treaty to end plastic pollution following UN Environment Assembly Resolution 5/14. It argues that for the treaty to be effective, it must address the overproduction of virgin plastics, the failures of the international waste trade (highlighting the impact of China's 2017 import ban), and the need for coordination between environmental goals and World Trade Organization (WTO) trade policies.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development provides an overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, which were initiated following a March 2022 United Nations Environment Assembly resolution.

This research paper by Colette van der Ven argues that African nations must proactively integrate circular economy principles into their clothing and textile industries to achieve sustainable industrialization (SDG 9) and sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12). The author highlights opportunities in sustainable input production, green manufacturing, and the repurposing of second-hand clothing imports to drive economic transformation and maintain competitiveness, particularly in the European Union market.

This technical report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) uses System Dynamics (SD) modelling to forecast the employment impacts of circular economy (CE) interventions in Finland across six key areas: electronics, textiles, food, mining, forestry, and buildings. The study compares a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario with two levels of CE ambition (CE1 and CE2) from 2020 to 2040, finding that while some sectors like electronics and forestry see net job gains due to the labour intensity of recycling and refurbishment, others like food and textiles face net losses due to reduced primary production and retail demand.

This 2007 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the environmental impacts of trade liberalization within Thailand's electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector. It highlights the tension between the sector's role in export-led growth and the resulting environmental challenges, specifically the rapid increase in e-waste and the risks associated with mid-stream production and informal recycling.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra examines the role of services trade in transitioning to a circular economy. Based on a survey of 96 firms and 16 in-depth interviews, the report identifies key services—such as IT, R&D, and waste management—that enable circular business models. It analyzes the modes of service delivery, the impact of digitalization, and the regulatory barriers that hinder the international exchange of these services, ultimately proposing an integrated trade policy approach to support global resource efficiency.

This appendix details the methodology and results of a study conducted by OTS R&D, Inc. between August and December 2025 to evaluate the short-term performance of heat pump systems using virgin, reclaimed, and recovered R-410A refrigerants. The study found no statistically significant performance penalty when using reclaimed refrigerant that meets AHRI 700 purity standards.

The report introduces 'natural capitalism,' a business framework that argues the current economic model is deficient because it liquidates natural capital and ecosystem services. The authors propose four principles—increasing resource productivity, eliminating waste, shifting to service-and-flow models, and investing in natural capital—to align corporate profit with planetary health.

The document introduces 'natural capitalism,' a proposed new industrial paradigm that values natural and human capital alongside financial and manufactured capital. It argues that conventional industrial capitalism is unsustainable because it treats nature as a free, infinite resource, leading to the rapid depletion of living systems and ecosystem services. To avert ecological and social disaster, the text proposes four interrelated strategies: radical resource productivity, biomimicry, a service-and-flow economy, and direct investment in natural capital.

This report chapter explores how industrial production can transition from a linear 'depletion to pollution' model to a circular system based on biological principles. It argues that significant reductions in energy and material use are possible through a combination of smarter design, new technologies, distributed controls, corporate culture shifts, and the adoption of remanufacturing and recycling.

The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) has published the Circularity Guidelines on end-of-life battery management to establish minimum standards for renewable energy companies operating in low- and middle-income countries. The guidelines aim to prevent the public health and environmental risks associated with substandard recycling, particularly for lead-acid batteries, by promoting durability, repair, take-back schemes, and certified recycling practices.

This policy brief examines the impact of Chinese investments in Tanzania's plastic recycling industry and the subsequent effects of China's 2018 import ban on waste materials. It highlights how Chinese firms have facilitated technology transfer and local business growth, while also noting significant environmental and health risks and a potential decline in local waste sourcing due to the import of cleaner waste from Europe and the US.